The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-04
A COSTA RICAN COUP D'ETAT.
How DR.. Jirnenez Became Presiden'
and Then a Plain Citizen.

e1AANA ALOA4 d ldl1l SlLlAGn.
DR.. Jesus Jimenez may have been a
learned man; he was not wise one.
He had been made President OF Costa
RIGA by the army and as soon as he got SUI
preme power in the republic he gave that
important body the cold shoulder, says
Alfred F. Sears in the May Overland.
1t was mistake. He should have borne
it to the front, giving it prominence; wear
ing it, SO to speak, like rose in his top but
ton-hole on dress occasions. On the con-
trary, he treated it contemptuously, sneered
at its prettiness and fummery aud degraded
its officers
What can single doctor of medicine do
against one entire regiment of infantry and
two-gun battery of flying artilleryl Moth
ing, absolutely nothing His brass mortar
and pellets are but trifes against howitzer
and bullets
But the army was also in an awkward fix,
for the army, as | said, had made DIR.
Jimenez President by coup d'etat. A
second coup following SO soon on the steps
of the former would never answer The
army would lose its prestige Still some
thing must be done, for the most popular
officers and their friends in civil life were
being banished in crowds from the republic.
The difficulty was solved by Col. Tomas
Guardia.
His brother was in command of the one
regiment of infantry. 1t was only neces-
sary, therefore, to get possession of the ar
tlllery. So one morning the great gates of
the barracks were opened, and two wagon
loads of freshly cut grass passed in as usual,
and the gates were closed Whereupon,
there suddenly uprose the two loads of grass,
and fourteen men, led by Don Tomas Guar
dia, pointed fourteen revolvers at the few
half-awake soldiers in the patio, and the Job
was done, killing only one foolish officer,
who attempted resistance to ''the revolution
of the people"
A lieutenant with a few men waited on
DIR. Jimenez and told him he could resume
the practice Of medicine, as the public
would not require his services any longer at
the palace"
Nothing could have been more satisfactory
to DIR. Jimenez. He really didn't want
power, and only accepted it because he
couldn't see his way out of it
At O'Clock he mounted his saddle mule
with his alfarjas and went around among
his PATIENTS quietly said to his friends that
he was informed that Tomas Guardia was
in possession of the supreme government
and that he would be able to give his bust
ness better attention than he had during the
past few months
Before he returned to his house for break
fast he called at the palace smiled and
nodded toward the guard and sent his card
up to the new President.
You will naturally suppose that Don To-
mas, on hearing of this sudden appearance
of the dethroned ruler in the place where he
had reigned but yesterday, summoned his
guard, buckled on his sword, capped several
revolvers, ordered a squad of detectives to
| usher him in and watch his every motion.
He did nothing of the kind, for two rea-
sons: There never lived any one man of
whom Tomas Guardia was afraid, and of all
men in the world, DIR. Jesus Jimenez was
| the last man for anybody to be afraid Of
Therefore, when they met the inquiring,
somewhat serious look of Don Tomas disap-
peared before the cordial, pleased smile of
DIR. Jimenez, and they embraced with the
fervor of old friends